Summer has hit my friends, time for beach trips and barbecues.

Summer is also infamous for that yearly voyage that both delights and frights; the family summer vacation. Of course we all love quality time with the family but the process of figuring out how to please each individual member is something I personally could do without.

I remember a summer from my youth when my parents took the Gorelick clan on a classified mission to Russia. Sure it is fun to see your parents outsmart Leonid Brezhnev, but the Soviet Union as a kid is just a tad boring.

Learn from my family’s mistake and head to Hollywood this year where there is something for everybody. For example track down a celebrity’s star at the Walk of Fame.  Take a picture with a wax replica of your favorite star at Madame Tussaud’s Hollywood, the figures are so realistic you may be able to fool your friends into thinking it is the real deal. Enjoy a family friendly Disney movie in the historical movie palace of El Capitan Theatre. And my personal Hollywood must-do this summer is catching a preview performance of Cirque du Soleil’s Iris at the Kodak Theatre. The best part (I know you’re thinking how could this possibly get better) is that all of this is conveniently located within walking distance of our fabulous hotel and the Hollywood and Highland Center.

No matter what your family’s interests may be, everyone can agree that you need to eat. Take the family to one of the many eateries in the Hollywood and Highland Center. New to the block is LA Boho, Hollywood’s first gastro pub, Rolling Stone LA, the first venture into the restaurant club scene from my personal favorite rock magazine and the latest star of America’s Next Top Restaurant fame- Soul Daddy.

Hollywood is a one stop-spot to make all sorts of family memories.  Put down the charcoal, leave the swimsuits in the drawer for a weekend and have a fun, Hollywood hip, urban, family vacation.  Our cast members will be waiting to treat you like a celebrity.

This is Bruce signing off, wishing you and your loved ones a terrific summer.

Mom, madre, mutter, mere….what am I talking about? Mothers of course. Let me tell you something about mine, she’s the best…ever. I beg you to find me another mom, besides my own, who successfully taught her child to speak four different languages by the time they were four. No moms coming to mind? That’s because mine is the best. Which is why she deserves the best, which is also why  I will be bringing her to the KJAZZ Mother’s Day Brunch at the Renaissance Hollywood this Sunday, May 9^th.

The all you can eat brunch will feature your classic breakfast foods.  A waffle station with berry and whipped cream topping, an omelet station, cold smoked Norwegian salmon, various breakfast meats and cheeses, traditional eggs benedict, herbed seasoned potatoes and enough fruit to keep the doctor away for life.

We’ll also be carving up prime rib with au jus sauce and roast rack of lamb with blackberry sage reduction.

The hot station will include herb roasted chicken, pistachio crusted sea-bass, caramelized onion smashed potatoes, rice pilaf, medley of grilled vegetables and potato & leek soup.

I am only getting started. At the cold station there will be a full salad bar, taco shimi crisp, buttery poached shrimp, spicy Italian panzanella salad with grilled chicken, fresh Caprese salad and a Waldorf salad.

I hope you didn’t think we forgot about the kiddies. Their taste buds will be tantalized with the kids’ pancake making station, allowing them to create their own masterpiece. Who knows maybe we will help create the next Wolfgang Puck or Rachael Ray.

RenHollywood will also dish up desserts almost as sweet as momma herself. Better save room for our pecan tarts, mixed fruit tarts, passion fruit cake, tiramisu, Zucotto (an Italian chocolate cake) and assorted mini pastries. 

To wet your pallet we will be serving coffee, tea, juice, soda, milk, water and of course mimosas.

For yours and mom’s musical enjoyment Judy Wexler will perform. Deemed by JazzTimes “as one of the most focused, unpretentious, no-nonsense, bop oriented jazz singers around,”

The brunch will be this Sunday, May 8, from 10 am to 2 pm (music will start at 11). $44.95 for adults, $21.95 for kids 12 and under, free for children 6 and under. Reservations can be made by calling 323-491-1000 or visiting www.jazzandblue.org

            I have a confession to make.  It kills me to say this and I can’t believe I am about to admit this online, but here it goes. There was a time in my life when I wanted to be a musician instead of a hotel GM. Shocking I know, but revealing this to you folks is a huge relief.  Now that I am writing this I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off me. In looking back, I am not proud of that moment in my life. However, in my defense, it was the 80s and I was caught up in the excitement of yet another European vacation.

                While traveling through Ireland I popped into a bar in Dublin. Had I known that my thirst for a Guinness would have possibly derailed my ambitions of becoming a hotel GM I would have promptly turned around. But after throwing back a few rounds with a local band, I had become their drummer’s replacement while his broken hand healed. As we traveled from country to country and played show after show I grew tired of touring. We stayed in some ghastly hotels and in my opinion you should never settle on hotel accommodations. It pains me to think about the sub par thread count linens I slept on. It was fun times, but all the fans, attention and glamour was not enough for me. Despite the desperate pleas from my band mates, I turned in my sticks over to their original drummer so he could resume his spot behind the base drum and cymbals. To save the drummer some embarrassment I do not want to reveal the band name, but can give you a hint . . . . ..two symbols, one vowel and one number.

                Although I abruptly ended my music career, I never lost my love for music. Lucky for me, ASCAP will once again bring their “I Create Music” EXPO to the Renaissance Hollywood in 2011. From April 27^th through April 30^th the hotel will be filled with musicians, songwriters, producers and people involved in every aspect of the music industry networking with each other and listening to panel discussions from some of the best in the business.  As always, ASCAP will have in attendance and be honoring a who’s-who of the music biz.  This year, the list of panelists includes Lindsey Buckingham interviewed by Sara Bareilles, Pharrell Williams, Fergie, Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic), John Rzeznik (Goo Goo Dolls), Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald, Desmond Child, Rodney Crowell, Jermaine Dupri, Wes Craven and Rufus Wainwright to name a few.  Rod Stewart is also being honored With the prestigious ASCAP Founders Award at the 28^th Annual Pop Music Awards on the evening of the 27^th.  Past recipients include Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, Heart’s Ann & Nancy Wilson, Billy Joel, Annie Lennox, Sir Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Smokey Robinson, Patti Smith, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Tom Waits, Stevie Wonder and Neil Young.

                And if that wasn’t enough excitement, the RenHollywood’s Lobby Bar will be jamming each night from Wednesday through Saturday during the Expo with 3-4 live independent artist performances starting at 8:30pm.  These performances are open to the public and FREE to attend with no cover charge.  Try and say you’re not interested in that. For updates on the artists performing check our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter.  

Til next time my babies. This is Bruce, signing off.

You feel that energy in the air hanging above Hollywood? If you’re a Los Angeles native you know what I am talking about. It’s that excitement that can only be sparked by those long days of anticipation leading up to the Oscars.

Now take that energy and multiply it by 3, then take that to the fifth power and you have a fraction of the excitement that we folks at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel  & Spa experience. With our lovely neighbors, the Kodak Theatre, hosting the annual event, we get front rows seats to the hustle and bustle that goes along with this spectacular event.

However this year it is a little hard for me to watch the Oscars. I think about what could have been if I had not let Mark Wahlberg have The Fighter. Originally, David O. Russell or O’Russ as I prefer to call him, approached me for the lead role since my body is already in pristine boxing condition. After preparing Muhammad Ali for the Rumble in the Jungle, I have never lost my boxing prowess or fabulous physique. Following his Fight of the Century, The Great One was having a hard time finding sparring partners. That was until he heard of an up and coming, recreational boxer, that boxer was me. We would train for hours upon hours. Let me tell you something, Ali may float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, but both of those things could be stopped with some BRUCE force. This one time…Wait a minute, I was telling another story. 

Oh yeah, The Fighter role. Well, I had to really consider my options. Which is more important to me, my potential acting career or maintaining the greatness of the Renaissance Hollywood? Ren Hollywood always K.O.s competitors in my heart. 

Despite my miss at Oscar greatness I am generally excited about all the nominees this year. We’re seeing some fresh new faces light up the silver screen and old favorites remind us why they still command that star power. With an Oscar nod to street artist Banksy, our little Hollywood is finding that its street walls are now elevated to galleries. It is a great time of year to live or visit Hollywood. I wouldn’t trade it for all the Best Actor nominations in the world.

Now if you don’t mind, I will be strolling across the street to the Kodak Theatre to see them prep for the Oscars.

This is Bruce, signing off.

As you can assume, I am not a man that loses his cool or scares easily. I once came face to face with a tigress and lived to tell the tale. While out on an elephant ride in the jungles of Bijrani, India with my guide Vasu, I decided that I needed to see the world’s most beautiful and deadly animal in the world; the Bengal tiger. We left the elephants and proceeded on foot trying to track the jungle’s most stealthy creature. We found tracks and knew immediately from their sharp edges that they were fresh tiger tracks. This filled me with both excitement and fear. I was so close I had to keep going. As Vasu and I crept through the jungle, communicating solely in sign language we heard a rustle in the bushes only 5 yards ahead of us. I pulled out my camera and prepared to aim and shoot, I held my breath and waited for the beast to reveal itself. Only problem was the beast I was anticipating  was nothing but a chital (a type of deer). As I turned around to head the other way, right behind Vasu and I was a full-grown tigress. I positioned myself between the animal and Vasu and in a quiet and relaxing voice, the tigress was calmed and relaxed. She even let me pet her. If you think tigers don’t purr you’re wrong, this lady purred like she swallowed a motor.

However, there is one tigress that I fear more and that that is the wrath of Mrs. Gorelick when I have not prepared the perfect Valentine’s Day. In years past I have surprised her with trips to the most romantic cities in the world. Venice, Paris, Monte Carlo, Vienna, just to name a few. While there I wine and dine her with the best the cities have to offer. In the romance department, I have that schmuk from The Notebook beat. This year I have decided to remain stateside and romance my darling at the Renaissance Hollywood’s Valentines Day Jazz Dinner.

To me the only acceptable third wheel to a Valentine’s Day dinner is a live jazz band. This year
Charmaine Clamor will romance the dinner crowd. Hailed as “a gifted vocalist” by the New York Times and deemed “one of the important and original new jazz singers of the decade,” Clamor is sure to set the perfect mood for the evening.

Dinner will start at 6pm on Valentine’s Day. First course will include tuna belly tartare, foraged
mushroom and avocado, American caviar, truffle wafer followed by an oxtail and fennel soup with Absinthe. To clear the palette an intermediary course of lavender sorbet will be served.
If your taste buds aren’t in a blissful sensory coma yet the main course will push them there. Each guest will have the choice between three different entrée course options.

•Pan Fried Grouper, Wilted Rocket Arugula, Crispy Yucca, Fried Green Tomatoes, Market
Crustacean Sauce.

•Center Cut Beef Tenderloin, Roasted Artichoke, Rosemary Potato Gratin, Beef Jus

•Braised Lamb Shank, Puree of Celeriac Root and Potato Reduced Pan Demi Jus

The meal will conclude with the sweetness of grilled fig and bitter chocolate tart with almonds, wild honey and exotic fruit panacota.

At $99 per couple, this offer is a real deal. To make reservations or find more information call
323.491.1000 or visit www.jazzblues.org.

Now I am off to find the perfect diamond ring that sparkles as brightly as my lady’s smile.

This is Bruce, signing off.